The Demon Experiment
by CresentCrimzonMoon
Summary: The world is left in ruin. Few survivors remain. Monsters roam the land, picking off survivors one by one. A new threat awakens: Chaos. Failed experiments from the past walk out into this world with one objective: defeat Chaos. Will they be able to save the dying world or forever be known as Demons? "Who are you?" Max questioned. "We are the true Angel Experiment."
1. Chapter 1

**Crimzon: So, I've decided to totally go a different route with this fanfiction. Now that I have finished reading the Maximum Ride books, I can think of a solid story line and it will be following the ending of the last book. In all honesty, I'm kind of disappointed with the ending . . . that's just my opinion so don't hate me for that. So, I got an idea to re-write my previous max ride fanfic and go a different way with it (it wasn't popular anyway). So, please read, review and enjoy and I OWN NOTHING! ONLY OCS!**

**PS: I might not update this one very often. I want to put more attention to my other fics first so yeah, but I'll do my best!**

**_Prologue: Hello_**

**_~Introduction~_**

If you're reading this, then you're probably one of the lucky few survivors of the apocalypse. If that's the case, then good for you! My one question, though, is why the hell are you reading this when you should be, oh, I dunno uh _surviving_? But I guess since this world has basically gone to hell, there must be a limited supply of entertainment. So, good for you for taking up reading. Can't let those brain cells rot away, right? Well anyway, I'm getting distracted. What I wanted to say it that as you may know, the world ended. Some kind of plague has spread and, to add the icing on the cake, the sky seemed to split and that lead to the unnatural disasters to occur on earth. See what I did there? Unnatural disasters? Like natural disasters but . . . well since the world ended and all, it just screams _wrong_ and all? Yeah, just go along with my logic.

As you may also be aware of; the plague that was spread isn't something to just brush aside. Whoever created this overly enhanced avian flu, the H8E (a.k.a. The Finisher) was some sick bastard. I'm not going to go into the details of the symptoms. All I'm saying is that once it's inhaled, it starts off as a cold while it not so subtly liquifies your organs, screws up your blood stream, and then melts your skin with rotting sores and all the while, the victim is writhing in pain and agony for days until finally . . . well, you know. And not only that, but all of the earthquakes, hurricanes, sudden volcanoes that emerged from out of no where and the sky being completely covered in a thick sheet of smoke, ash, and whatever was left of clouds was not something that made the situation any better.

But, don't look so glum just yet. There is a bright side and I'm assuming you're well aware of it. The inhuman scientists that created the Avian Flu (that's what we call it . . . it sounds more appropriate than H8E) made one tiny mistake. They didn't expect there to be any human who would be immune to the virus. In all honesty, we're not too sure how that works, but I will say this; you should be thanking God for your kick-ass immune system. If anything, you probably caught a slight cold, but it never progressed far enough to go into the I'm-going-to-totally-melt-your-insides-and-peel-away-your-skin-like-a-bannana phase. And basically, anyone that are still out there, alive and well and _human_ are safe from the virus . . . it's what's around you that you have to worry about. I don't have much understanding of it, but from what I've heard, this virus didn't kill off some of it's victims. It, in a way, made their victim into a vessel for the virus to control and in time, they became monsters. The same goes to certain species of animals.

I know, with what turned out like some good news ended up becoming worse news. I will say this though, I vow to any survivor that we will find a way to make things right. I don't know when nor how, but I do know that we were destined to save the world from the real threat. Oh, did I forget to mention that? Yeah, the best way I can explain it is that Armageddon and the Apocalypse had a baby and it is _ugly. _We named it Chaos. I can't say much on it, but it's coming and this time, not even the _superior _race can survive.

We will save the world from Chaos because we are the Originals . . . we are the original Angel Experiment.

**Crimzon: Sorry for it being so short, but it was meant as an introduction. I'll start on chapter one and try to update it later this week. So, review please!**


	2. Before the Nightmare

**Crimzon: Well, here's the next chapter. For the first few chapters, I'm going to introduce the characters and how they end up in the school and all and once that's done then time will speed up to where the series ended lol. Please enjoy and review and all that jazz. I OWN NOTHING, ONLY PLOT AND OCS!**

**_madin456:_****No, it wasn't Max who was talking. It was one of the OCs. Thanks for the review and I'm glad you like that freakishly short chapter!**

**_Chapter One: Before the Nightmare_**

**_~Clair's POV~_**

"Clair! Hey!"

I heard a voice calling me, but I didn't want to respond. Too tired for that. I don't really understand why, but I haven't been getting much sleep lately.

"Claaiiirrr!"

Oh gosh, this voice was so irritating. It didn't take me long to figure out who it was.

"It's lunch so, for the love of God, shut your yap and let me sleep!" I snapped. I didn't realize how loud my voice was until I saw that most of the people on the lunch room were watching me with questioning looks. Instead saying anything snarky like I usually would, I just sighed and looked up at my annoying friend.

"Hah, grouchy today, aren't we?" she chuckled. I ignored her comment as I sat up straight and stretched my arms up in the air, a long yawn escaped my mouth.

"I'm just tired. You know how I get when I'm tired," I said with another yawn. Through blurry eyes, I snuck a look at my phone. Only five minutes left of lunch, huh? Well, damn.

"Yeah, yeah, you get crazy cranky. So, like I was trying to tell you, wanna hang out today after school?" she asked.

"I'm sorry, Kaitlyn, but you know I have to pick up my little brother after school. Then I have to go home and start dinner and then do what I can with homework," I explained. In all honesty, she's my best friend and all but she knows that I'm never free during the week. She understands the reason to it, but she always seems to have some disappointed look on her face that makes me feel guilty.

"Fine, fine, but at least keep your weekend free, okay?"

"I'll try, but no promises."

As I say that, the bell started ringing and without another word, we made our way to class. Kaitlyn is my best friend and she understands that I try to hang out when I can, but it doesn't make her feel any less annoyed. After school ends, I pick up my little brother at the elementary school. Once I get home, I have to make sure he does his homework while I clean for a bit. Then I start on dinner so that way it's done by the time my dad comes home from work. After dinner, I have enough free time left to get started on homework. Only time I have free-if I'm lucky-is on the weekends.

Now, you're probably wondering why I have such an amazing social life (note the sarcasm). Well, my mother passed away a couple of years ago and since then, I've taken on all the house hold chores. It's not like it's a big thing and I don't mind at all, but my dad always has that look of guilt on his face when he comes home and sees the house is spotless.

Well, I basically tuned out the rest of the day. Just had two classes to deal with and since I had a free sixth period, I left earlier than most students and drove on over to the elementary school. As I drove into the school parking lot and parked the car, I turned off the engine and waited for Jake to get out of class.

While I waited, I thought back to the weird dreams I've been having. Those dreams are probably the cause of my lack of sleep. In them, I'm running through a thick forest and I'm wearing these hospital scrubs. I was running from something, but I never see what it was. I was scared that whatever was running would catch me. As I ran, I came upon a cliff and without even looking back to see what was chasing me, I threw myself off the cliff and that's when I'd wake up. I've been having that same dream for over a week now and it's really starting to worry me.

"Hey sis! Open the door!"

I opened my eyes and noticed my little brother banging on the car door. How long has he been there? I quickly unlocked the passenger side door.

"Jeez, sis. I've been waiting there for five minutes!" he complained.

"Sorry, sorry," I chuckled as I started the engine. "So, how was school?" I asked. I noticed the little bugger change the station on the radio.

"It was ok," he mumbled. He then smiled when he found his station. He started bobbing his head to the music when it ended and the comercial started. He was about to go and change the station again when something they said stopped him.

"Due to the sudden rise of kidnappings in the area, the mayor has announced a city-wide curfew-" I changed the station before she could continue with the news.

"I guess the police finally decided that those kids weren't runaways," I stated. I looked down at Jacob and noticed the solemn expression. "What's wrong?"

"My friend Justin wasn't in school today," he said.

"Maybe he's just sick?"

"No, he's been gone all week . . . I think he may be one of those-"

"He might just be sick, Jake. Don't worry. If you want, I can take you by his house tomorrow and visit, ok?"

He looked up at me with big hazel eyes and smiled.

"You're the best, sis."

"You bet I am."

_~Later that Night~_

After cleaning, I got started on dinner. It was already six in the afternoon and the sun was just setting behind the nearby mountains. I felt a pang of worry at that moment. My dad should have been home by now._  
_

Being the daughter of a cop was . . . tough. Everyday, I worry about him when he's at work. When he gets home and late and forgets to call, I start crying like a baby. I've even had nightmares where one rainy day, I answer the door and find a couple of cops standing there with solemn expressions. Before they could even get a word out, I start screaming.

Ever since mom died, my fear grew . . . I don't think I would be able to keep myself together, but I'd have to. I'd have to be strong for both me and my little brother. It's when I heard my phone ringing that I felt a wave of relief.

"Hey, Dad. I'm assuming you're going to be home late again?" I answered.

"Yeah, sorry. I need the overtime."

"I know. Hey, I'm making beef stroganoff, your favorite!"

"Great! Thanks baby girl. I'll try to be home as soon as I can, alright?"

"Ok dad."

"So, did Jacob do his homework?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm helping him with his math."

"But, you're not good at math."

"I think I can handle fifth grade math, dad."

"I'm sure you can," he chuckled. "Alright well, make sure he gets into bed on time and that he finishes his homework."

"Will do, da-" I was cut off when I saw a shadow run across my backyard. That shadow had the shape of a person.

"Clair?"

"Uh, sorry. I thought I saw something," I lied. "Be careful on your way home, ok?"

"Yeah, bye," he said, sounding hesitant after my earlier comment.

"Bye."

I quickly shoved the phone back into my pocket and finished cooking dinner. it was almost done anyway. I was about to go outside and investigate when Jacob walked into the kitchen.

"Hey sis? Can you explain how to do this again?" He asked as he walked over with his math text and notebook.

"Uh, hold on a second. Let me check something first. Uh, go up to your room and wait there, alright?" He gave me a confused look but only shrugged his shoulders and went to his room. With that handled, I walked to the front room and sneaked a pick through the closed blinds. What I saw made my adrenaline start running. This isn't a very crowded street so the fact that I saw a couple of huge black vans and a couple of smaller cars parked out front. I saw a few shadows standing by those cars and let me tell you, this guys were not being subtle.

I thought back to all those times that dad would tell us what to do should there ever be some sort of emergency. Anything from injury to some natural disaster . . . I'm thinking that this situation is somewhere in-between. Taking in a deep breath, I made my way to my brother's room as calmly as possible. If this were truly an emergency, then I had to act as carefully as possible. They can't know that I'm on to them.

"Hey sis, everything ok?" I quietly walked onto my little brother's room and then opened the closet door. Dad always had us pack an emergency back pack and leave it somewhere where we can get it easily. I set down the bag next to the door.

"Jake, I need you to grab my bag and dad's and put them in the car. Here are the keys," I said as quietly and calmly as possible. The car was parked in the garage so as long as he's quiet, they wont notice him. "Get into the car and hide in the back seat. Do not make a sound, you hear me?" He didn't say anything, only nod. I started walking down the hall when I heard Jacob call out, "Careful."

I walked back into the kitchen, trying to act as normal as possible. All the while, I could hear my brother walking through the door that leads into the garage and close it. Yeah, subtle enough. I took out my cell phone and dialed my dad's number. The moment he answered, I didn't get a chance to say anything because that's when the lights went out and the windows in the room started to shatter. At this moment, I just reacted. I saw a shadow walk up to me, but before it had a chance to do anything, I threw a punch which I felt connect with his face. Someone then came up from behind me and put me in a choke-hold. Trying to keep myself as calm as possible, I threw my leg back and kicked him in the shin which loosened his grip on me. I used his loss of balance to my advantage and flipped him onto the floor. Seeing an opening, I ran out of the kitchen and made my way into the garage. It all happened in a flash because right before I got to the garage door, this huge shadow stood in front of me and shoved me into a nearby wall. I felt the wind get knocked out of me on impact. I hit the wall so hard that I couldn't even breath for a second.

When I looked up at the figure, I felt everything turn cold. This _thing _was not human. It looked like some guy on steroids . . . but he was covered in fur and his face . . . looked like it belonged to that of a monster.

"W-What-"

"Sis, what's happening?" I noticed Jacob had walked into the room.

"Jacob get away!" I yelled.

"So, that's where you were hiding," chuckled the beast. He reached for my little brother with a clawed hand. On reflex, I jumped up and grabbed my brother, shielding him. I was waiting for something to hit or scratch me, but there was no pain. Instead, I heard loud popping sounds, like fireworks. I opened my eyes and turned around to see that the beast was on the floor and standing only a few feet behind him was . . .

"Dad!" yelled Jacob.

"Kids, get in the car, now!"

"But, dad-" I didn't let Jacob finish what he was saying. I picked him up and rushed into the garage and threw him in the backseat. I knew better than to argue with dad when he shouted an order. As I started the car, waiting for the garage door to open, I mumbled a silent prayer.

"Please, keep him safe."

_~Ten Minutes Later~_

I honestly didn't know where I was driving to. Just that I needed to get out of that area. I drove onto a trail that led up into the mountains. I remember we had an old cabin up there for when we would go camping. It's been a while since we've last been there.

"Hey, sis?" I heard my brother's hoarse voice from behind me. "Will dad be ok?" he asked.

"Of course he'll be fine. Don't worry," I said, trying to reassure him. I don't think it was working.

"Where are we going?" He asked.

"Remember that cabin?"

"Kinda."

"Dad told me that should anything happen, and we got separated, to always go to that cabin."

"So, dad's going to meet us there?" he asked.

"Yeah," I stated. But, why did I feel like I'm lying? Like something is going to happen.

"Sis?"

"Hmm?"

"Those people, could they be the ones who are kidnapping all those kids?" he asked.

"I-I don't know."

"What if they were trying to-"

"Jacob, I won't let them take you away. I'm your big sister and I promise to always protect you."

The rest of the car ride to the cabin was quiet, but I could see my little brother in the rear-view mirror, smiling.

_~At the Cabin~_

The moment we walked in the door, a huge puff of dust blew in our faces. It's been years since we've last been here. Since mom died, we stopped coming here. Dad started working extra hours just to support us and I started doing all the cleaning and cooking. Just walking through that door brought back so many memories. I looked down at Jacob and noticed the dark circles under his eyes. Poor kid is probably exhausted. With what happened back at home, he's probably too much in shock to bother being afraid.

"Hey, you still hungry? We never got to have dinner." He looked up at me with such a tired expression that he didn't even answer. "Yeah, you just want to sleep now, huh?"

I looked over to the couches that surrounded the fireplace. We had put white sheets over them to protect them from dust. I walked over and feet down the packs on wine while I threw aside the sheet of the other couch. A cloud of dust hovered above the rejected sheet for a moment before fading away. I then walked over to the hall closet and took out a couple of quilts.

"With that happened, I think it'll be safer for us to just sleep down here." I walked over with the quilts and noticed the look of worry on my little brother's face. "At least until dad gets here," I quickly said, trying to reassure him. I don't think it worked very well. His expression remained the same. Even though he smiled a little, I knew that he was worried and scared. I didn't blame him. I was probably just as scared as him. I couldn't really figure out the level of my fear right now. I was too confused about the whole situation to think about fear. But enough of that. I know that at this very moment, I have to act as calmly as possible . . . for Jacob's sake.

I sat down on the couch next to Jake and cacooned myself in the quilt. I then felt him lay his head on my shoulder.

"Hey, sis?"

"Hmm?"

"What's going to happen to us?" I looked down at him and frowned. I thought about lying, say that everything would be okay, but Jacob is a bright kid. Nothing gets by him.

"I don't know, kiddo," I sighed. "But I do know this," I said, "I promise to protect you no matter what. You're my little brother and I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

That wasn't a lie.

_~The Next Morning~_

I woke up to a dull light, peeping through the blinds. For a moment, I wasn't sure where I was or what had happened the night before, but it all came back to me in a flash. I looked down and noticed Jacob wasn't on the couch with me. That's when I felt the adrenaline start to rush through me. I jumped up from the spot and ran to the front room. That's when I saw Jacob standing by the window.

"Jake?"

"Dad's outside."

I suddenly felt hope, but when I saw how my brother didn't have a smile on his face, I felt my blood run cold.

"What's wrong?" I asked, not really sure if I wanted to hear the answer.

"There are people outside with dad ... And dad looks hurt." I knew from his tone of voice that he was trying to keep calm, show that he can act grown up, but that facade wasn't working on me. Mustering up my courage, I walked over to the front door and placed hand on the handle. Before turning it, I looked over at my brother.

"I want you to get out through the back door. Run into the forest and don't you dare turn back. I'll go after you as soon as I can, alright?"

"But, sis-"

"Listen to me," I said, my voice growing more stern. "Go. Now." I turned away at that moment because I'm sure that looking at him now would make me change my mind. he turned and started making his way to the back door. Not once did he stop.

I took this moment to take a quick peek through the blinds and noticed multiple black cars parked out front, most likely the same ones from before. Just in front of those cars was my dad. He was kneeling on the ground, his face bloody and bruised. I noticed a man standing next to him. He was in a white lab coat and the grin plastered on his face sent chills down my spine. He had a beard that styled into a point and he had one of those old time villain moustaches. Other than that, he was completely bald. I noticed a pair of thin rimmed glasses that made his eyes hard to see whenever they caught a glare from the light. I then noticed a megaphone in the guy's hand.

He seemed to just stand there, smiling. I then saw the two dark figures standing behind the lab coat guy. I felt another chill go down my spine when I realised that they were the monsters that attacked my home. I then noticed the guy being the megaphone up to his face.

"We know you're here. Please step outside," He stated. I took a deep breath and opened the door. I walked out, wary of the body guards standing behind him. "My, you have grown into such a beautiful young lady."

"Who are you?" I questioned, but he only continued to smile away. I looked at my dad, "Dad? What's going on?"

"There's no time to explain. Just get out of here," he ordered.

"Even in this situation, you are still unable to tell her the truth. How interesting," chuckled the stranger. "John, why don't you follow orders? It'll make thing so much simpler for you." That's when I heard my dad start chuckling.

"I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees," he stated. I remembered that quote from somewhere, but before I could even think about the meaning, I noticed my after smiling at me. His expression almost looked sad. "Take care of your brother, Clair. I'm sorry I couldn't take care of the both of you." I felt tears stinging my eyes, wondering why he was talking like this.

"I see, you have chosen to be disobedient," he stated. I felt another cold chill rush down my spine at just the tone of his voice. At this moment, all I could focus on was the smile on my father's face. Even when the strange guy was talking, my dad didn't even glance in his direction. "Well, I believe that your contract is just about done, don't you agree?" He stated, not really making it seem like a question. I then saw him bring up his free hand up into his lab coat, reaching into a pocket and then pulled out something metal. It took me a second for my eyes to adjust so I could see what he now had in his hand. It was a gun.

"W-What are-" I could barely form the words. I looked back at my dad and his smile never faded. He slowly raised the gun up to my father's head. "S-Stop . . ." My voice faded.

It was at this point that I couldn't look away, couldn't run at him and stop him, couldn't even make a sound. Just then, my dad said five little words that suddenly made the adrenaline start up again and I just bolted back into the cabin and out the back door, running after Jacob. He had said, "Take care of your brother."

Those were his last words to me. It was as I was running in the forest that I heard the distinct echo of a gun shot.

I ran through the forest, fighting passed the tears. Right now, my first priority was to find Jacob and get him away from here. I know, I seemed weird for still being able to think clearly after basically witnessing my own father's murder. I just . . . I don't know how to explain. I just had this feeling to just let my instincts take over. There was plenty of time to mourn later.

"Jacob!" I shouted. I felt myself tiring out much quicker than I had expected. I was short on breath and I felt like my legs were about to give out from under me. I was just about to fall when I came upon a clearing and just a little passed that was a cliff.

"Clair!" I heard Jacob's voice shout from behind a tree near me. I turned and saw him and a smile appeared on my face, until I saw the figure standing behind him with a big hairy claw on his shoulder.

"Let him go!" I yelled.

"Now, now, young Clair. There is no need for you to yell," the stranger stated calmly. I looked at him in anger and I didn't even realize that I had started running towards him. I'm not really sure of what had happened next, but I found myself on the ground at his feet, clutching my arm. One of his monsters and jumped in front of me and slashed my arm, leaving a large wound that was bleeding heavily. I could feel my vision begin to blur as the pain started to become stronger than the adrenaline. "Worry not, that can easily be fixed, but that only depends on you, my dear." I ignored him and only stared down at the ground. The whole time, I could hear Jacob screaming my name, but the sudden high pitch sound ringing in my ears started tuning him out. "Now, which will it be?" He started as he pulled out his gun. I looked at him with blurry eyes, "Life?" He asked. he then pointed the gun at me with a smile, "Or death?"

I couldn't answer. Instead, I tried to gain control over the pain and keep myself from fainting.

"Well, you were the first choice, but if you're going to be difficult, then I guess your brother will do," he said. I didn't know what he was talking about. but at that moment, everything seemed to move in slow motion as he placed his finger on the trigger and started to put pressure on it. It's then that I heard Jacob yelling my name again, but he sounded closer than before. Using what little energy I had left, I looked over and saw that he had gotten away from that monster and ran in my direction. My eyes widened at the realization of what was happening, but I couldn't find my voice to tell him to stop, to turn and run away. It's at that moment that the stranger pulled the trigger, but I never felt anything. All I felt was the strong pain coming from my right arm and the loud echo that came from the gun. I looked back up and that's when my world just fell apart. I felt my brother's small body fall on me and all I could do was support him from hitting the ground. I could still feel him breathing, but his wound was substantial. I tried holding him up with my free arm, but I hardly had the strength.

"J-Jacob?" I stuttered. I couldn't keep my voice steady.

"S-Sis?" I could hardly hear his voice. "Y-You always . . . helped me when . . . I needed it," he gasped in pain. "I just wanted to protect you . . ."

"Jacob?" I mumbled. He didn't answer. I shook him gently, but still, there was no response.

I couldn't find my voice so I could scream. I couldn't move so I could attack the man who killed my father and brother. I felt everything just fading away from me until all there was left was darkness. I'm not really sure what was happening to me. Maybe I was dying? I don't really know. I just wanted to fade away . . . away from the pain.

**Crimzon: I'm sorry guys, I tried. Yeah, yeah, this chapter probably wasn't that good, but i just got so irritated with it that I just wanted to get it done so that way I could go on to where they are in the School. So please bear with me on this and look forward to the next chapter. Please review! **


	3. No Longer My Name

**Crimzon: Thank you all so much for the reviews! I felt horrible for adding a chapter that I wasn't even happy with but I'm glad you all liked it. **

_**madin456:**_**Yes, the flock will be in this fanfic . . . eventually. I will say that they won't be for a while because I'm starting this out with the story of the 'originals.' Mind you, I'm trying to word this in a way that I don't give away any spoilers so yeah. **

**Um, another person also commented, but I don't know who considering it said 'Guest' but this person said, ****_"I'm literally crying right now."_**** All I have to say is that is a compliment for me! Lol, like I always say, ****_"You know you did a good job if your readers are crying."_**

**Clair: Since when do you say that?**

**Crimzon: SINCE ALWAYS! Anywho, please read, review, and enjoy, and I DON'T OWN MAXIMUM RIDE, ONLY OCS!**

_**Chapter Two: No Longer My Name**_

_**~Clair's POV~**_

I wasn't sure where I was at the moment, but I was sure of one thing. I was dreaming. I was walking on a dirt road, with no destination in mind. To my left was a dense forest. I would stop from time to time to try and see if anything was there but it was too dark. Only thing I would see anything coming from the forest would be the occasional pair of glowing red eyes and the distant sound of pained howls. The mystery of that forest didn't peak my interest in the slightest. In fact, whatever scary noise I would hear didn't phase me. It's as if I was numb.

To my right was the ocean. The occasional wave would crash near the shore and I would feel tiny droplets of water on my skin. I would hear random screams of torment whenever the tide would roll in. Those screams would slowly fade as the water formed another wave. Again, it didn't seem to surprise me. It's almost like this were normal to me. I couldn't explain it. The sites and noises around me reminded me of a broken record playing on a loop.

I continued to walk this never ending path. For whatever reason, I didn't want to wake up from this dream. It didn't take me long to figure out the meaning behind the forest and the ocean. They represented the pain and madness of the world. This path was the only thing keeping me from becoming another victim of the torment. I closed my eyes, relying on my legs to take me to a place of peace . . . somewhere away from the pain. It's when my legs suddenly stopped that my eyes burst open. I was standing at the edge of a cliff.

A sudden surge of pain shot up my back. The shock of it practically brought me to my knees, but I somehow found the strength to stand. I felt something warm start running down my arm and when I looked over, I saw blood. My blood. In that second, my mind suddenly went into overdrive as I thought back to how I got this wound. The fear, the tears, the pain, it all came back to me in a rush. That's all it took for the strength to rush out of me and send me to my knees.

"D-Dad." My voice shook when I thought back to his smiling face during his last moments of life. I felt my hand reach up to my head, trying to gain control of my throbbing headache.

I remember running away before I could see the ending. I ran into the forest, trying to find . . . trying to find . . .

"Jacob . . ." My voice faded. Tears stung my eyes as my arm fell back to my side. I gripped at the dirt as the memory continued to make it's way into my mind. "Oh God . . . " I promised him that I would protect him. I promised him that I wouldn't let anything bad happen to him. And yet, I was so weak that I couldn't even stop him from doing something so reckless. The painful throbbing in my back continued to grow as my memories replayed in my mind. At some point, I felt the numbness slowly make it's way through me and all I had left of the sadness was the tears that continued to flow down my cheeks. The memory of my little brother's lifeless body body flashed through my mind as I inched closer to the edge. I just wanted the memories to stop. I just wanted the pain to stop.

Using whatever strength I had left, I crawled closer to the edge and with nothing else but the numbness to think about, I jumped off.

The sudden shock of falling started making my senses come back to me. I felt groggy, nauseous, and worst of all, pain. As I slowly got out of my slumber, I realized I was laying face down on a bed with white sheets. The pillow was thin and just the feel of it reminded me of a hospital. I could hear an annoying beeping in the background and it's then that I realized that this all felt too much like a hospital. One of my least favorite places, if I may add. I tried moving my right arm, only to feel a dull pain run up and down it. That's when I remembered the slashes I got from that creature. I tried to move my left arm, but I felt sharp sting when something stuck to my arm was almost yanked out. The more I woke up, the more I felt. I felt these weird wires running up and down my arm. Once I started opening my eyes, I saw a heart rate monitor next to me along with a couple of I.V. bags. I guess I just figured out where those wires around my arms were coming from. From the looks of it all, I guess this really is a hospital.

I still couldn't see or hear well. My eyes were too blurry and anything I could hear was the beeping from the heart rate monitor. Speaking of which, that beeping sounded abnormally fast. I couldn't really see the numbers, I just know that my heartbeat . . . or any human's heartbeat for that matter, shouldn't be beating this quickly. I tried to lift my head so I could get a better look, but it felt so heavy. I recognized this feeling very well. I was heavily drugged.

Before any of you get the wrong idea, no, I am not a druggie. A while back, I was in a car accident and was hospitalized for a couple of weeks. During that time, I was on so much medication that I probably should have been considered a druggie. Now because of that, I have a very high tolerance for most medications . . . rather annoying since just taking some Advil for a headache wasn't enough . . . I would have to down half the freakin' bottle just for it to work!

Anyway, all that aside, I attempted to lift my head again only for it to fall against the pillow. It's at that moment that I suddenly felt something wrong with my back. It felt heavier? I couldn't explain it, but this one spot on my back seemed more numb than the rest of my body. Before I could really put much thought into it, I noticed someone walk by. Judging by the voice, it was a woman. She wore a lab coat with a clip board in her hands. She had short hair, but her face was covered in shadow. All I could really see was a smile that seemed to send a chill down my spine. She looked down at me then at the monitor than back down at me as she started jotting down notes onto the clipboard. That smile never wavered that whole time. I don't want to get too ahead of myself with my over-active imagination, but from the vibe I was getting from her, why did I get the feeling that she was treating me like some sort of experiment?

"Dr. Batchelder?" I heard her speak. Her smile widened as she motioned for someone to see something. I saw a taller figure come stand behind her, but he seemed more blurry. "Experiment 13094 is showing such incredible results in such a short amount of time! It's vitals are excellent and the bandages should be ready to come off! Oh, how exciting!"

Her words took a moment to register in my mind. Experiment? It? She can't be referring to me . . . right? I let out a groan as I felt a pulsating pain start at the center of my back. That sound was probably loud since both of them looked down at me.

"How can it be awake already? We've pumped enough sedatives to keep it asleep for a few more days!" she exclaimed as she studied the monitor a bit more. I moved my jaw, wincing when I felt it pop. I was trying to form words while I watched the two look at me in shock and awe. She continued to go on and on about how amazing this whatever was. Honestly, I don't know what they were talking about but the fact that she kept referring me as 'it' was starting to tick me off.

"S-St-" I hadn't realized how dry my throat was until I started speaking, but I didn't let that stop me.

"Ah, shh! It's trying to speak!" she went off again as she crouched down lower to my level. I glared at that stupid, smiling face of hers. I don't know how, but I felt a sudden rush of adrenaline run through me as I managed to bring up my arms and sluggishly lifted up off the bed. I hadn't realized just how weak I felt until that moment. I just barely lifted up far enough to turn my head and look at the snotty bitch in the face.

"S-Stop . . ."

"Yes? Stop what?" she questioned, showing how intrigued she was by my words.

"Stop calling me an it!" I snapped as I reached up with my injured arm and grabbed her by the collar of her lab coat.

"Ah! Doctor, help!" she gasped as she tried to pry my arm away. Honestly, I don't know how I was able to keep such a strong grip. I just felt so angry and annoyed that I just didn't care.

"Experiment? Who do you think you are? I'm a human, same as you!" I snapped again as I sent her a harsh glare. It's then that the other figure calmly placed his hand on my arm. He didn't say anything or try to pry away my hand. He merely smiled.

"Sweetheart, please let her go. She's new and has no respect, nor does she understand your situation." I couldn't really comprehend his words as I felt my fingers loosen up and let her go. It was just his sincere tone of voice that suddenly made me feel calm. I brought back my hand and got comfortable on my side. While he was trying to calm down the upset doctor, I tried rolling onto my back when I felt something was in the way. I didn't let it stop me as I attempted to roll again, but this time, it hurt.

"What the-" I looked over my shoulder and my eyes almost jumped out of their sockets. I felt myself shaking and the heart monitor in the background seemed to go into overdrive. I tried speaking, but I could form the words. I reached over, ignoring the tugging from the wires and grasped onto what was now on my back. They were big and soft. At first, I couldn't really tell what they were since they were covered in bandages. At this point, I felt more strength rush through me. Enough strength to sit up.

I traced the bandages back down to their source . . . the rest of my body. They were wrapped around those things tightly and close to my back and then around my torso. I looked down at myself and noticed the hospital garb I was wearing.

"What . . . what's going on?" I asked, completely ignoring the dryness in my throat. "What . . . what are . . ."

"Those? Those are your new wings!" the Doctor Lady exclaimed happily as she clapped her hands together. I stared at her with an expression of both shock and annoyance. I tried to move my shoulder blades when I felt a sudden wave of pain crash into me. I wrapped my arms around myself as I leaned forward a little.

"W-Wings?" I choked out. "W-W-What have . . . what have you done to me?!" I gasped. It's then I realized that the medications that they had been giving me were starting to wear off. I never knew real pain until this very moment. I could my screams echo in the room as more people in white coats charged in. I saw gloved hands reach for me from all directions as they tried to get me to settle down, but I was too focused on the pain to cooperate. It felt like my back was being ripped in two while my bones were being slowly yanked out.

Minutes that felt like years passed as I suddenly started feeling calm again. The pain started to subside until it was just a dull throbbing. I felt a pair of gentle hands grab hold of my shoulders as I fell back down on the bed. The last thing I remember seeing was his smile before everything faded.

_**~Later~**_

Feeling the same grogginess from before, I opened my eyes to see that same heart rate monitor. I was laying on my side this time. I guess this wasn't some fucked up nightmare. Instead, it was the even more fucked up real life. I looked around the room I was in, but not without some difficulty. This room was actually huge, but strangely empty. There were a few other beds on the other side of the room, but they were all empty. The lights on the ceiling were dim and that didn't really help with the eerie vibe of this place. Speaking of which, just where was I? Why did they do this to me?

This continued for lord knows how long. Me asking question after question after question. All of them ending with just one, why me?

"Ah, awake, aren't we?" The familiar voice forced my eyes to look up and see the same Doctor from before. What was his name? Batchelhell or something? I noticed he was pushing a metal cart with a tray on it. It took me a moment to recognize what it was and that's when I realized just how hungry I was. He brought me food. "My name is Jeb Batchelder. Here, I brought you some food. You must be starving," he stated in that same sincere voice. With some of his help, I managed to sit up. He brought over the tray and set it on my lap. He brought me a bowl of chicken noodle soup and a glass of orange juice. As I ate, he sat there silently, probably waiting for me to start asking questions. I looked down at my food and set down the spoon, heaving a deep sigh.

"Wha-" I stopped, trying to form a question,"Who . . ."

"I understand your confusion. You must be filled with questions, right?" I looked at him with an exhausted look. It's then that I got a good look on his face. He looked young. Maybe his mid to late twenties. Dark brown hair sleeked back with a few strands just falling over his forehead. "Why don't you go ahead and continue to eat and I'll try to explain as much as I can, alright?" he asked. I nodded, ignoring the fact that he was speaking to me as if I were a child.

"Well, let's start with where you are. This facility is called The School. Here, we work on experiments, trying to find cures and make human life more easy, I guess would be the best way to describe it."

"Experimenting?" I scoffed. "And on humans, no less. Isn't that illegal?"

"Why yes it is, my little dove." Another voice entered the room . . . the last voice I'd ever want to hear. It was the same man from before, the one who shot my father and brother in cold blood. I noticed Jeb suddenly sit up straight and stayed completely still. The man walked up to the foot of my bed with that same creepy smile. "But, you see, the government couldn't care less about the activity that takes place down here," he chuckled.

"You're sick," I stated.

"My dear, it's merely research," he said. "My name is Doctor Richard Sinclair and you are one of the special few who have survived for this long."

"What the hell do you mean?!" I spat.

"You see, you were born with a special blood type. Something much more rare than O-. Those born with this blood type immediately pop up on our data base and their families are informed. Once the time has come for us to collect the _specimen_, we pay the family a hefty sum so we can continue our research." He stopped a moment and his smile faded a bit, "But your father refused to give you up. Mind you, we offered him a very generous amount, but he just wouldn't take it. You're father is a fool," he stated, then chuckled, "Oh, excuse me. He _was_ a fool." My hands gripped the sheets in anger. I felt one of my hands grow warm, almost like fire. I wanted to hurt him, make him feel the same pain I was feeling now. No, not the same pain. I wanted this man to suffer.

"Don't you dare speak of my father," I practically snarled. That only made him smirk and turn to leave the room.

"I'll leave you be, my little dove," he stated. "Jeb? I would like you to take over for me for a while. I'm leaving to solve a certain problem. Please keep an eye on her and the others," he added before leaving.

"Yes, sir." I could see him at the corner of my eye. He was frowning. This whole time, I had a death grip on the sheets. It's when he reached over to grab the tray from my lap that I loosened my grip.

"I'm sorry for what he did to your family. That wasn't really part of the plan," he stated. I could tell he was trying to be sincere, but that didn't make my mood any better. All questions disappeared from my mind. At the moment, I didn't care about this place or the fact that I was now a mutant freak. I looked down at the sheets and noticed droplets of tears had spilled down my face onto my lap. When I moved one hand to reach up to my face, I noticed the spot on the sheets where I was gripping it before . . . It was charred. As if I had somehow burned it. Thinking quickly, I placed my hand over it before Jeb could see it. Then a thought came to mind.

"Jeb? That number I was referred by, what was it?" I asked. The question probably caught him off guard considering it was so out of the blue.

"That's your . . . identification number I guess would be the best way to put it."

"Meaning, I'm experiment number 13094?" I asked. I saw him nod his head. So, they took away my name and gave me some stupid number?

"But, I know that your name is Clair. If you would prefer to be called-"

"No, that's no longer my name," I stated, my tone cold.

"Excuse me?" he asked, bewildered.

"From what I've seen," I sighed. "And adding the fact that I'm no longer human, then my life is basically starting over, right?"

"In a way, yes," he stated, hesitation showing in his voice.

"Then I'm no longer Clair." I looked up at him, my expression completely stern and emotionless, "From today on, my name is Cinder."

"What a . . . strange name. May I ask why?" he asked. I smiled and shook my head. Instead of answering out loud, I thought to myself.

_"Because the moment I regain my strength, that man will know just how excruciating the fires of hell really are. I can promise you that." _

**Crimzon: And I think I'll stop there for now. A nice little intro for Cl- er, I mean Cinder! And so, I'm sure some of you are probably confused about the time frame and I'm sure most of you will be asking me so I'm just going to answer it now. Why is Jeb young? Well, probably because he is. This fanfic is starting out way in the beginning. So, this is close to the time when Jeb starts out at the School (not reallt sure if that's true considering I don't own him, but I'm just going with my gut). Any other questions will probably be answered in the next chapter . . . probably. I like keeping some mystery here! So please REVIEW! And I'll try to update this again next week. (I'm going for a once a week update here).**


	4. Selfish Tears

**Crimzon: Well, here's the next chapter. I'll try to make this chapter more entertaining and less gloomy. **

**Cinder: Key word is she'll _try_.**

**Crimzon: -sigh- I OWN NOTHING, ONLY OCS AND PLOT! ENJOY AND PLEASE REVIEW!**

**_~Unknown POV~_**

I don't understand people. Never have and probably never will. People only see what they want to see. Hear what they want to hear. They judge by one's appearance and don't think of the consequences their own words could bring. They live out each day, ignorant to the real world around them. They don't know the real horrors that take place because they choose to turn their back and block it out from their mind.

I have little trust in people like that. I thought I could trust my family . . . oh, how wrong I was.

**_~Cinder's POV~_**

I stood there, in front of the mirror, watching the nurse remove the bandages I had covering my . . . wings. When I first walked up to the mirror, I stared in shock at the unknown figure that stared back at me. My hair was different. It used to be brown and only reached down to a little passed my shoulders. Now, it was down to just above my waist and, even more surprising, it was white. As I looked at it closely, I noticed that the odd color started to fade into a pink-ish shade and then a deep rose color at the tips. Another thing that surprised me were my eyes. Like the tip of my wings, they were a rose like color. I confronted Jeb about this. He said that it was probably the effects from the DNA they 'enhanced' me with. He started throwing a bunch of big scientific words at me so I stopped paying attention.

Once the nurse started walking away, I noticed that the bandages were gone. I turned around and noticed a few tiny scars near the center of my back and from there were my wings. I moved my shoulder blades and from there, I could feel something new that extended into my wings. They were stiff at first and it hurt, but at the same time, they felt right. I couldn't explain this feeling. I guess the best way to explain it would be that I was reunited with something I had lost long ago. Maybe it was just my mind playing tricks on me or all of the drugs they put me on that was making me feel so nostalgic so I decided to just put the ridiculous thought away from my mind.

"There, now don't you feel better without those bandages?" stated the nurse. I glared at her. The way she spoke made it seem like she was talking to a child. Without really responding to her, I grabbed the teal shirt and pulled it on . . . with some difficulty considering the wings. The nurse actually had to help me get them through the large slits on the back of the shirt. After that was done with, she sat me down in a nearby chair while she sat across from me with a clip board.

"Well, how are you feeling?" she asked in the same perky tone.

"Annoyed." She seemed to glare at me for a moment before letting out a sigh.

"I meant psychically. Any pain or soreness? Fatigue?" I stared at her, not really wanting to answer. Judging from her expression, she looked irritated. "Look, the quicker we get through these questions, the quicker you get to get away from me. Understood?" I sighed then nodded.

"A little sore and I can't extend them without a little bit of pain."

"Well, that's normal. Is there anything else?"

"Yeah, I'm feeling a slight headache coming on, but I think that's because of you," I stated with a hint of sarcasm. She just glared at me then just pointed at the door. Without much left to say, I got up and left.

I've been in this place for almost three months now. Jeb told me that after they brought me to the school, I was put in a comatose state during all of the 'experimenting.' Turns out, I was out for a month. Sure, I may seem fine about it now, but I freaked when I found out just how much time had passed. Since then, Jeb has allowed me to walk around the facility, so long as I didn't do anything stupid. Not like I could, anyway. Those monster things they call Erasers were all over the place. The fact that I could barely walk, much less fight just one of them off, was one thing to think about.

Anyway, all they have had me doing was some minor tests like running on a treadmill to get my stamina back up and lifting minor weights to build up lost muscle. In all honesty, I really don't want to be doing anything. I just want to find a way out of here, but there's a problem. Where would I go? I have no other family and even if I did, how would I hide my new 'look'? For now, I'm just going to play the good girl and do what I'm told. Cowardly? Yes, maybe, but does that mean survival? Absolutely.

As I walked down the hall back towards the room I was kept in when they weren't running tests on me, I noticed a slight commotion down one of the hallways. I stopped in my tracks, hoping to see something interesting. I saw three Lab Coats standing over a hunched-over form. I squinted a bit, trying to make out what it was I was looking at.

"Come on, this will go so much easier if you would just cooperate," I heard one of the Lab Coats state. One of them moved off to the side a little and that's when I could see who it was. He stood up from his crouched position and he was probably a foot taller than me. Short black hair fell over his eyes, making his expression hard to see. I noticed he had a straight jacket on him and, what looked like, a muzzle. I took another step forward and noticed his slight hunch back only to realize that he had wings just like me. They were folded tight against his back because of the straight jacket.

"Um, excuse me?" I spoke out without even realizing. One of the Lab Coats turned at the sound of my voice.

"Cinder? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be back in your room?"

"Oh, I was . . . I was just . . ." I trailed off as I made eye contact with the bird kid before me. That's when I noticed his eyes from underneath his bangs. They were cold - - dark, like onyx.

"Ah, Cinder!" I heard Jeb's voice call out from behind me. "There you are," he said with relief in his tone. I hardly paid him any attention because I couldn't look away from that boy's eyes.

"Ah, Dr. Batchelder, how are you?" greeted one of the Lab Coats.

"Fine," replied Jeb. "What's happening here?"

"Well, 13093 isn't really cooperating with his tests. He got loose from his restraints and attacked one of the other Doctors. We even had to muzzle him because he kept trying to bite."

"We talk about him as if he were some sort of rabid dog," I blurted without really thinking. One of the Lab Coats seemed taken aback but that was only a split second because he started smiling.

"Well Cinder, that's because he is." My eyes widened at his response. I took that moment to sneak another glance at the boy and his expression didn't change. He didn't look angry or annoyed . . . he just looked tired. "If he acts like a 'rabid dog,' as you put, then of course we have to treat him as such and detain him. Would you prefer him running around when he's a danger to others, yourself included?" This time, I was at a loss for words. I forgot that when you're living as an experiment in this place, you're treated like an animal. Jeb was quietly standing next to me the whole time. It was only when he put his hand on my shoulder that I actually looked up at him. It was then that I noticed the three Lab Coats were already walking my fellow experiment down a different hallway. That whole time, he was staring at me with those cold eyes.

_**~Later~**_

"Cinder? I was wondering if you'd do me a favor?"

"Hmm?" I was eating my lunch when Jeb walked in. I slurped up what noodles I had hanging from my mouth and answered, "What?"

"That boy you met in the hall earlier, do you think you could go talk to him for me?" he asked as he sat down in the steal chair near the bed.

"Why me?" I asked.

"Well, you noticed how he was earlier? Maybe if someone like him talks to him then maybe he'll-"

"He'll start being obedient?" I interrupted. Jeb seemed to think over his response after hearing what I said. "Sorry Jeb, but if he doesn't want to do it then it's not my place to make him. Besides, I really don't blame the guy."

"Well, the reason I ask is because . . . he'll die if he doesn't start cooperating." I dropped the spoon I was holding when I heard what he said.

"What do you mean?"

"Dr. Sinclair is losing his patients with that boy and said if he doesn't start doing what he's told, then he would be terminated."

"That's not right!" I snapped. Jeb seemed in shock from my sudden tone, but then smiled a bit.

"I agree completely. That's why I want you to go talk with him, change his mind maybe?"

I sighed, thinking to myself about the situation. That bastard Sinclair thinks he can just end a life when he sees it not reaching his level of expectations. It's wrong. He's basically playing God.

Without another moments hesitation, I pushed aside the tray table and stood up.

"Where's he being kept?"

_**~Later~**_

"You have got to be kidding me," I muttered. I turned to Jeb and pointed at the massive cages that filled the room. Most seemed empty, others looked like they were recently occupied and only a handful were being used. Jeb didn't respond to my comment. he merely started walking into the room with me following. As we passed by cage after cage, I noticed some had scratches in the metal flooring while others had bite marks on the steal bars. The rest just looked like they were stained with some liquid. Honestly, I didn't let my imagination go off on that thought because I really _didn't _want to know.

As we reached the end, I noticed that same boy behind similar bars. The only difference between his and the others was that his didn't stink. His actually looked like it was being cleaned. But still, that didn't make it better knowing that he was actually being kept in a cage when they weren't trying to run tests. Then another thought came to mind. What makes me different from him? Why wasn't I being kept in a cage? Was it because I was cooperating? I mentally chuckled at myself. Great, I'm actually their obedient pet.

"Cinder, why don't you have a seat?" Jeb motioned for me to sit down on the chair that was by the cage. "His name is S - -"

"Don't say my name!" His sudden outburst shocked the both of us. I looked at the nameless boy with startled eyes. He sat with his back against the bars of the cage. He was looking down at his lap, letting his bangs cover his eyes. He wasn't wearing that muzzle but he still had the straight jacket. I looked up at Jeb with a questioning look. He only shrugged his shoulders then smiled.

"Good luck," he stated as he started walking out of the cage filled room. I sighed, suddenly feeling exhausted.

"So, uh, my name is Cinder," I said with a smile. The guy didn't even flinch. "Mind telling me yours?" I asked. Still no response. I felt my eyebrow twitch in irritation. Letting out a sigh, I got up from the chair and sat down on the floor so I could be at the same level as him. I'm not really sure for how long I must have sat there, but it must have been a while considering my legs had fallen asleep. Speaking of which, I was actually falling asleep myself.

"How long are you going to sit there?" I practically jumped at the sudden sound of his voice.

"Well finally you say something!" I exclaimed.

"You're annoying," he stated bluntly. I noticed that he was looking at me this time.

"How am I annoying? I didn't do anything." He remained quiet and merely looked back down at his lap. I crossed my arms with a pout. What the hell is wrong with this guy? I stared at his solemn face, trying to figure out what he could be thinking about. He just seemed so emotionless, like he didn't care. But, now that I see him up closely, I feel that that may not be completely right. He just seems tired. I sat there in silence, thinking about what I could say to him.

In a way, I kind of knew of a way to deal with him, get him to listen. I remember my brother used to get mad at me over something stupid and give me the cold shoulder. At first, I'd just leave him alone, thinking that he'd get over it eventually. Turned out, he was more stubborn than I thought. Then I came up with the idea that I'd bug him with random stuff. I would talk and talk and he would just ignore me, but I could tell that he was listening. Sooner or later, he'd give up and we'd go back to how things were. Basically, you just have to be persistent.

I looked back up at the nameless boy and noticed that he was doing exactly what my brother would do. Giving me the cold shoulder, hoping I'd eventually walk away in defeat. That's when an idea hit me. Just by looking at him, I could see how his personality could be. Right now, he just looked like a dark figure, wanting nothing more but to fade into the shadows. But maybe, just maybe, he might just want someone to find him in his darkness and pull him away into a comforting light.

"Specter." I noticed him twitch a bit and then he looked up at me with confusion on his face. "I'm going to call you Spectre." Almost as if on cue, his confusion turned into annoyance.

"Don't call me by something stupid."

"I don't think it's stupid. You won't tell me your real name, so I'm going to call you Specter."

This time, he seemed angry with me. The vibe I was currently getting from him was telling me to not get involved, that it wasn't any of my business. His body language told me he wanted to be left alone, but the look in his sorrowful eyes told me different.

"I just want to help," I added.

"Do you? Or are you just doing this because of what that so called 'doctor' told you?" he said with scorn.

"What? You mean Jeb?" It's then that he chuckled silently to himself as he looked back down at his lap.

"You're nothing more but their obedient little guinea pig."

"Excuse me?" I snapped. I noticed that he had a slight smile forming, but it wasn't out of amusement, it was out of pity. I sighed, trying not to let myself get too frustrated. "The reason I'm even talking to you right now isn't because Jeb asked me to, it's because I want to."

"Why? You don't even know me."

"Well, considering we're the same. Being in the same boat and all, I thought - -" Spectre suddenly started laughing at the top of his lungs.

"Same boat? You think we're in the same boat? Hah, just shows what you know." This time, he looked right at me with those cold eyes. "My family sold me to these people. They _sold__ me_."

I was taken aback by what he said. I just couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that his family sold him. What kind of person is capable of something so . . . so heartless?

"Did your family give you up for petty cash too?" he questioned. But I knew he knew the answer to that.

"No, I wasn't. I - -"

"Then don't assume that we're the same." I felt tears stinging my eyes once he said that. Sure, I assumed how he got here, but so is he. I don't really know why, but at that moment, I thought back to that horrible night and then I thought back to how he was just thrown aside by his own family. Then I started thinking about if I were the one who was sold away like nothing. It's then that a few tears slipped down my cheek.

"Don't you dare cry," he snapped. I stared up at him in confusion.

"Wha- -"

"People only cry selfish tears," he stated. "Empathy. Sympathy. That's merely an illusion because in the end, people only shed tears for themselves."

"You're wrong."

"Am I?" he chuckled. "Think about it. Do you know the feeling of being thrown aside like trash by people you care about? No, right? People only cry because they unconsciously imagine experiencing the pain that someone else is feeling."

I couldn't respond. I'll admit that, in a way, he was right. Actually, he was really accurate, but he was also wrong. I wanted to argue, tell him he's just angry, that he doesn't understand, but instead, I came up with a better way of responding. With a smile, I wiped away the tears and stood up.

"Fine then. Next time I cry, my tears won't be for you," I said in the most sincere tone. For a second, I noticed the slight hint of shock in his eyes but that could have been my imagination. I started walking towards the exit when I heard him chuckle to himself.

"Wow, didn't think you'd give up so quickly." I stopped walking then and I turned around with the most serious expression I could muster.

"Oh, I haven't given up. It's actually quite the opposite," I smiled. "I'll be back tomorrow and I will find a way to change your mind."

"Hah, good luck with that. I'm not changing my mind, no matter how much you bug me."

"You wanna bet?"

"What's the point? You've already lost."

"Really? Because I feel like I'm winning."

"Meaning?" He leaned forward in his cage, suddenly intrigued.

"I got you talking, didn't I?" With that said, I turned back and left the room. From the corner of my eye, I could have sworn I saw a slight smile forming on his face.

A few days passed and it was the same each day. I'd walk in and talk his ear off. He'd sit there, annoyed. I wasn't really sure how long this would take, but with each passing day, he talked more and more. Of course, he still denied it.

Jeb was worried that I wouldn't be able to change Specter's mind. I kept telling him that I just need some time, but that was something I was running out of.

"How many times do I have to repeat myself?" sighed Specter. "I don't care."

"You don't care that they'll kill you unless you start - -"

"Cinder, enough," He interrupted. "I get that you're trying to help me, but the fact of the matter is, I don't want it."

I stood up abruptly and started stomping out of the room. Before leaving, I looked over my shoulder.

"Say what you want, but I'm not giving up on you."

"Why do you care so much?" he asked. "You hardly know me."

He was right, I wasn't even sure why I cared so much for a stranger. Instead of answering, I turned back and left.

**_~Later~_**

I was having trouble sleeping that night. I just didn't feel tired. I kept thinking back to Specter. No matter what I said, I couldn't get him to change his mind. But, why exactly was I doing this? Trying to save someone who doesn't even want to be saved. Maybe I'm being selfish. Maybe I'm just trying to stop all of the constant death around me. Just the fact that that bastard Sinclair can just take a life whenever he pleases just makes me so angry.

I yawned as I turned to stare up at the ceiling. I was just not able to sleep so I sat up and started walking around the small room. It's then that I heard someone talking outside the door. There were two deep voices and they were laughing.

"I hear they're terminating the kid tomorrow," said one.

"Yeah, it's a shame, but there's more where that came from."

I felt a chill run down my spine. I don't really know what came over me, but I ran into the hall once the coast was clear and I was basically on auto-pilot the whole time. Next thing I know, I find myself standing in front of the two doors that lead into the cage filled room. Feeling out of breath, I pushed open the door.

"They have us so restricted around here, we never get to have any fun." I noticed two Erasers surrounding Specter's cage. They hadn't noticed me yet so I just stood there, watching. One of them reached down to the lock and pulled on it, practically breaking the door open. The second Eraser reached in and grabbed hold of Specter's straight-jacket.

"And since you're getting put down tomorrow, then there's no shame in us having a little fun," chuckled the Eraser. Specter didn't say anything or even try to struggle out of his grasp. He just seemed to shut down.

"Now, where should I start sharpening my claws? Your back maybe?"

"Wait brother, his wings would be in the way."

"You're right. Guess we're just gonna have to remove them, won't we?"

The Eraser holding Specter shoved him up against the wall while the other started reaching for his wings. I don't remember what happened next. I just reacted. I felt my legs start sprinting towards the Eraser and using all the energy I had, I jumped and clung to his back with my arms around his neck.

"What th- -" I started choking him, causing him to loose his grip on Specter and drop him. The Eraser stumbled back while his brother stood there, dumbfounded. I noticed Specter on the ground, just as wide-eyed as the Eraser next to him. Somehow, that distracted me and I loosened my hold on the Eraser. He reached over with one big claw and grabbed my shoulder then tossed me to the ground. I rolled for a second before the second Eraser picked me up and held me in the air.

"Now, now, Cinder. The Doc actually likes you so why don't you be a good little bird and head back to your room?" he whispered harshly. Letting the adrenaline rushing through me take over, I swung forward then back, kicking him in the gut which caused him to stumble back. I landed on my feet then went back to the other Eraser and tried to take him out with any force I had left. I didn't want to use my fire, not yet. Not if I really needed to. Flapping my painful wings, I hovered off the floor right as I jumped and kicked at the Eraser, but he quickly reacted. He grabbed onto my leg and threw me aside like nothing. I slid on the floor and noticed I was right in front of Specter.

"Cinder, enough. Just leave," he practically pleaded. I turned and noticed the look on his face. He was giving up! I then heard the two Erasers chuckling as they approached the two of us. I hadn't realized just how much my muscles ached from today's tests and I was quickly get more and more tired. Somehow, just wanting to protect Specter, I got up to my feet and spread my arms and wings wide, trying to shield him from the beasts before me.

"So, it's going to be like this then?" one asked. Then, out of nowhere, he threw a punch at my left jaw. He was holding back, that I can say because that could have thrown me half across the room with a broken neck. Instead, it just made me spit up blood and I could already feel my cheek start to swell. Not once did I move from my spot.

"You want to get to him? Get through me first," I stated, my voice cold. I noticed the two Erasers get stiff, but that only lasted a second because they started laughing.

"I'm sure as long as we don't kill her, we won't get in trouble," chuckled one. The other nodded and they both started towards me. I closed my eyes, feeling the fire within me starting to burn. I knew that I would have to use it and risk exposure, but I needed to make sure that Specter would be safe. It wasn't just sympathy anymore. It was a gut feeling, telling me not to give up on him.

_**~Specter's POV~**_

_What the hell was this girl thinking? Why does she care so much? Was she really prepared to get seriously injured or killed trying to protect me?_ I continued to watch as she stood there, motionless. The Erasers started getting closer and closer and she wasn't doing anything. I wanted to yell at her, tell her to just leave, but I knew she wouldn't listen. She'd probably just smile and take it.

**_"What a foolish girl." _**I heard a voice ring out, startling me. I've heard this same voice before, but it was only a vague whisper then.

_"What the hell are you?" _I asked it. It seemed time slowed down around me and I could feel the shadows trying to consume me.

**_"That can be explained at a later date. Right now, I must ask you something,"_ **it said. I stayed quite, waiting for it to respond. **_"Would you really be alright with this girl risking her life trying to protect your pathetic one? If not, I suggest you act."_**It chuckled, **_"I suggest you live."_**

Something in that moment surged through me and I just reacted.

**_~Cinder's POV~_**

I braced myself for the pain, but it never came. And I felt a strange warmth, but it wasn't from the fire I was about to unleash. I an arm around my shoulder and a pair of wings brush against mine. I looked over and saw Specter just inches away from me, using his wings to shield me from the Erasers. In only seconds, he had run to my side. I looked over my shoulder, confused at how he managed to get out of his straight-jacket. That's when I saw it. That area by the wall was covered in shadow and I noticed tiny tendrils from that shadow retracting from the shredded jacket. Does he have an ability too?

"How many time have I told you not to bother me?" he stated, but I noticed that smile he had.

"And now many times have I not listened?" I shot back. Without needing to say anything else, we both stood and faced the two Erasers, waiting for them to move. They seemed in shock, like they witnessed something frightening. I didn't bother trying to figure out what. I noticed they were about to move when suddenly, a voice stopped them.

"What are you two doing here?!" I noticed Jeb with a few other Lab Coats standing at the door.

While the Lab Coats took away the Erasers, Jeb pulled the two of us aside.

"What happened? Cinder, why are you here?"

"I had a weird vibe and when I came here, I saw the Erasers. Honestly, I just let my gut handle the rest." Jeb seemed relieved and then smiled.

"Well, as long as the two of you are alright," she said. He then looked over to Specter, "Specter, correct?" I looked over at him, wondering what he'd say.

"Yeah, I think I'll do your stupid tests." Relief seemed to wash over me.

"Really? And why the change of heart?" asked Jeb. I noticed Specter look right at me.

"Cause I don't want to deal with the guilt should this idiot do anything stupid if I died."

And just like that, the moment was gone. Jeb chuckled along with Specter while I stood there, annoyed.

Another day has come and gone and I gained a friend in this little place I like to call Hell. And with each passing day, I looked forward making Sinclair pay for what he's done, but I'm glad I won't be alone for when that day comes.

**Crimzon: Well this was a major pain in the ass.**

**Cinder: This is a really long chapter . . .**

**Crimzon: You're welcome. REVIEW PLEASE!**


	5. Real Hell

**Crimzon: Thank you for the reviews guys! Um . . . ya, I'll just go on with the chapter now . . . I OWN NOTHING, ONLY OCS AND PLOT! ENJOY!**

**_Chapter Four: Real Hell_**

**_~Cinder's POV~_**

_"The Angel Experiment."_

That's what Jeb called us. I didn't understand why he'd use a term like 'angel' and honestly, I never really did understand. In my mind, an Angel is a pure and spirited being wearing a long white robe with wings. Albeit, we got the 'wing' part down, but was that it? what other reason to call us Angels? Specter had scoffed at Jeb's words and retorted with, "We're closer to being demons."

As accurate as that may sound, it didn't quite hit the mark in my opinion. Angels are one thing while Demons are the exact opposite. Are we somewhere in-between? No, that's where Humans are, so where were we? What were we?We did used to be human, but having the right to call ourselves that was taken away. So what do we call ourselves? Mutants? Monsters?

"Freaks," Specter had added at one point. I looked at him, trying to think of a snarky retort, but I couldn't think of one. Why? Because deep down, I knew he was right. We never brought up the topic again after that. We just agreed that the title 'Angel Experiment' just seemed like a heavy burden - - a curse - - that was being forced upon us.

I remembered back to the night I had save Specter from the Erasers. I'm using the term 'saved' loosely considering he probably never really needed me to save him. The Lab Coats moved him from that dingy cage to one of the empty hospital beds in the large room I was being kept in. I had trouble falling asleep and I started talking to him - - much to his annoyance.

"So, why did you want me to join you in this hell?" he asked sarcastically.

"Because I'm going to break us out of here," I stated bluntly. Laughter broke the short moment of silence. I turned to my side, looking over at the now occupied bed, waiting for him to settle down.

"You just keep getting more and more interesting, Cinder." He turned to his side to stare back only to meet my I'm-being-serious-face. His smile faded as his eyes widened. "You're serious."

"As the plague," I added. He sighed and rolled onto his back with an arm draped over his eyes. I waited patiently for his response.

"No offense, Cinder, but you couldn't even handle those two Erasers. How do you expect to fight your way through God-knows-how-many?" He questioned. Specter then turned to look back at me once more and realization seemed to reflect in his eyes. "Can you even fly with those yet?"

"No, not really," I stated bluntly. "I can't really spread them completely without feeling pain."

The room fell silent as I stared at the fairly stunned Specter. I swear, I probably heard a distant cricket chirping away.

"How long have you been here?" he finally asked.

"Technically two months, but I was in a coma for the first." I suddenly felt myself feeling guilty from saying that. Realization hit me then, "You've been here longer?"

"Seven months . . . and I was awake for _all _of it," he said through clenched teeth. He took a moment to compose himself, "I would have found a way out in that time. I've already tried escaping a couple of times, so sorry but there's no getting out unless you're decomposing in a wooden box."

I grasped the sheets tightly, trying to hold back my frustration. My anger was slowly building and I could feel the palms of my hands get warmer. I sighed, trying to gain back control over my emotions before I set my sheets on fire . . . again.

"So, unless you've got an arsenal of weapons hidden somewhere in your scrubs, we're stuck here." He smiled then, probably trying to picture us escaping this hell, guns-a-blazing.

Why? Why was he being so pessimistic about this? I couldn't understand it. I thought back to how broken and done he looked in that dog crate they kept him in. I kept thinking back to shortly before the Erasers attempted to beat the hell out of me. Specter had somehow gotten out of his restraints to protect me, but the question that was gnawing away at me was how? I remember seeing tiny tendrils in the shadows of where the shredded remains were. Did he have some abnormal ability like me? But what really bothered me was why didn't he tell me about it? Another thing that also bothered me was the fact that he said he had tried escaping from here before. Surly it would have been simple enough with an ability like that . . . right? I'm almost absolutely positive that the Lab Coats would have found a way to detain him should he use his ability, but perhaps they didn't know about it, like how they don't know about mine. In the time he's been here, he should have enough control over it to be able to escape without any issue . . . unless . . .

_"Unless he wasn't aware of it."_

The thought suddenly hit me then. Could he not _know_? I mean, the only reason I even noticed my own ability was because I was so angry at Sinclair. Could it have something to do with emotion? That would make sense considering this guy was just a heaping pile of negativity.

I let out a sigh. Who knows if I'm right or not. Instead, I decided to just go with my gut. I didn't want to say it out loud with the chance of being heard by a passing-by Lab Coat. I sat up and set aside the sheets then stepped onto the cold tile floor.

"What are you - -" I crouched down next to him and took his free hand in mine.

"There's a reason I changed my name to Cinder," I stated. He looked at me with confused eyes. Instead of saying anything else, I let the tiny flame burning within me spread into my hands, warming his cold ones. His eyes widened then and seemed almost stunned.

"What the - -"

"I haven't got complete control over it yet," I interrupted. I quickly called back the fire and my hands became cold. "But once I do, we're busting out. I'm not going to live out the rest of my days as some kind of experiment." I got back to my feet and into my own bed when I heard Specter chuckling.

"Well, let me just say this," he sighed. "Don't make me regret my decision on joining you." I smiled in response and nodded. Then I remembered something I wanted to add.

"Why are you so surprised by . . . it?" I hesitated. He raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Uh, you're kidding right? The fact that you can control _fire_," he whispered harshly. I tilted my head, maybe he really wasn't aware of it?

"But that time when you got out of your restraints?"

"I've been scratching at that stupid jacket for God-knows-how-long. I guess those Erasers gave me the extra strength I needed to pull free."

_"Then what were those tendrils?"_ I wanted to ask, but decided against it. Maybe it was my imagination playing tricks on me.

"Cinder?"

"Never mind, I'm just tired. Goodnight," I quickly said as I turned over and had my back facing him. Not long after that, exhaustion took over as a blanket of darkness wrapped me in a cocoon.

I couldn't have been asleep for more than five minutes when I was shook awake. I was disoriented when I opened my heavy eyes and I noticed Jeb standing there. he seemed like he was in a hurry and was about to say something when another voice entered the room, freezing Jeb's actions.

"Have a nice sleep, little dove?" I was automatically alert at the sound of that raspy voice. I sat up abruptly and noticed Specter was already awake. Jeb probably woke him up first, but for what? Jeb stood there in-between the two beds. I looked over to the doorway and noticed Sinclair standing there, his face covered in shadow except for his smile which seemed to glow.

"My, my, Cinder," he started. "I do believe those wings suit you."

I felt a chill crawl up my spine in response to his words. I snuck a peek over at Jeb and Specter. Needless to say, they both seemed startled to see Sinclair. What really caught my attention, though, was the look on Specter's face. In the short time I've known him, I don't think I've ever seen that look in his eyes. The look of fear. Switching my gaze over to Jeb, I noticed the same amount of fear in him.

"Hmm? Seems like experiment #13093 decided to cooperate." Sinclair's voice was closer this time. I turned my head and saw him walking into the room. "Odd. When I last saw you, you gave up on living. Why the sudden change in heart?" Specter didn't answer; he only glared. Sinclair looked from him to me as he continued his sinister smile It

s then that it mist have clicked in his mind.

"I see," he chuckled, "I assume that it is you I should thank, Cinder?"

I looked up at him, but I didn't respond. H reached over and attempted to pat my head, but I swatted him away.

"Don't touch me!" I snapped. His smile faded, but only for an instant.

"Still angry over that little spat we had?" I lowered my eyes and stared down at the sheets, trying not to react. "Well, back to the matter at hand," he sighed. "In the time I've been gone, you two have had it easy, but now that I have returned, I believe it is time for me to take back the reigns." That last statement seemed to be directed towards Jeb. Another cold chill flew down my spine. "The two of you have had plenty of time to recuperate from your _procedures_," he stated as he released his hand and snapped his fingers. In that moment, four hulking figures entered the room and stood behind Sinclair. "It's time for the two of you to officially start your tests . . . starting now."

Almost as if there was a silent command in those words, the Erasers made move and grabbed hold of both Specter and me.

"Jeb, what's going on?" I questioned as panic started to set in. I struggled in their tight grip as I tried to look Jeb in the eye when they started dragging me away. I noticed the same panic in Specter's eyes as the other two Erasers dragged him to his feet. Jeb merely stood there with solemn eyes.

In that short moment, I knew he couldn't do anything, couldn't say anything.

**_~Later~_**

The two Erasers dragged my limp body into a familiar room. The stench of death and decay still held strong in the air. My eyes were blurry and my head felt too heavy to lift.

"Here's your new room, freak," chuckled one of the Erasers. My throat was too dry for me to bother with a witty retort. When I felt the two stop walking, I heard a distant creaking sound as they opened something. Once the creaking stopped, there was a moment of dead silence when I suddenly heard a deep chuckle rumble through the two Erasers. It;s then that I felt myself get thrown into a small cage. As my back collided with the metal bars, I felt the air get knocked out of me. I fell hard on my side, already feeling the bruises forming from the impact. I didn't bother moving from that spot.

When the Erasers first came for me and Specter, we were dragged into a bright, white room where we were poked and prodded with needles. From there, we were separated. Things just got worse from that point on. First, they had these weird machines hooked up to my wings. When one of the Lab Coats pushed a button, the machines started pulling on my wings until they were fully expanded. The pain was excruciating, but no matter how much I cried for them to stop, they only continued. They said something about trying to make my wings more flexible. I didn't care though. I just wanted it to stop. They'd pull and twist until it got to the point where the fear of my wings getting ripped out reached my mind.

What seemed like hours later, they moved me to a big room that reminded me of my high-school gymnasium. The just bluntly told me that they wanted me to run and try flying. I was still in pain, but the sharp pain from before was now just getting to that dull and throbbing stage. when one of them noticed my sluggish state, they injected me with a small syringe that, most likely, held adrenaline. I suddenly felt like my heartbeat just went into overdrive as I started my run. I only managed to hover off the floor for only a few moments, but then I would fall hard onto the floor. it was around the fourth or fifth time that I landed hard on my left shoulder. Pain shot through me in an instant. I rolled onto my other side as my hand flew to grasp onto my now dislocated shoulder. I bit my lip, trying to keep myself from screaming. Next thing I knew, three Lab Coats were surrounding me. They rolled me onto my back and two of them held me still while the third grasped onto my arm and pulled, fixing my dislocated shoulder. Hate to say it, I screamed.

I pulled away and backed up until I hit the nearby wall, still holding onto my painfully throbbing shoulder.

"get up," they ordered. I looked up through watery eyes.

"Your shoulder is back in place," one added.

"We need to finish the testing," added the third. The rest of that time was a blur.

The cold floor of the cage cooled my aching muscles. Every now and then, my strained wings would twitch which would send a slight shock of pain through the muscles in my back.

"Cinder?" I heard a distant voice, but everything seemed to echo. It's then that I felt a familiar cold hand cover mine. Using what little strength I had left, I looked up and saw Specter sitting in the cage next to mine.

"Spec - -"

"Shh, try to rest a bit." he didn't seem as beat up as I did. Then the words he said to me before rang in my mind. _" . . . I was awake for all of it."_

Fresh tears escaped my eyes as I realized just what kind of horrors he had to face. I felt his hand grip mine tightly, as if he's trying to comfort me. I clenched my jaw tightly and turned my head to stare down at the floor, trying to hide my falling tears.

"Still think we can escape?" he asked out of the blue. I don't know how, but that question gave me enough strength to move. I groaned as a few of my joints popped as I crawled closer to the edge of the cage. "Hey, you shouldn't move around."

"Y-Yes," I choked out. I leaned against the bars of the cage. Then I noticed how close I really was to him because if it weren't for the bars, I'd be leaning against his back. His hand got tighter around mine and he was about to say something but stopped himself.

"i-I told you," I gasped through short breaths. "We're getting out."

_**~General POV~**_

Specter was stunned at her determination.. Just looking at her beaten form, one would assume that she'd just give up, but that look of fire in her eyes said something, _"I will not be broken."_ Specter's expression softened as he thought back to the days before meeting Cinder. He had given up. He was ready to die and then here comes Sinclair's Dove (the Lab Coats' nickname for her) with a light in her eyes that made him remember what it was like to have the drive to survive.

Cinder just had a taste of the real hell in this place and she still had that light. That fire.

Specter turned back to face Cinder only to see she had fallen asleep, curled up to the edge of the cage with her facing him. Her limp wings covering her like a warm blanket. A smirk spread across Specter's face when he tried to pull away from her grasp. He sighed and leaned back against the bars of the cage.

"Goodnight, Cinder."

**Crimzon: A little slow, but it's long . . . kinda. Next chapter is going have a little time skip so I can get along with the main story so look forward to that! Please Review and I'll update next week (maybe).**

**Cinder: You really shouldn't get their hopes up with your empty promises.**

**Crimzon: I never used the word promise! I said I'll try!**

**Cinder: -sigh- review guys, just review.**


	6. Family

**Crimzon: Well, here's the next chapter. I'll try to make it super long! So, I'll need some reviews! I DO NOT OWN MAXIMUM RIDE! ONLY OCs!**

_**~Cinder's POV~**_

Every muscle in my body was burning. My breath came out in short gasps. My legs were struggling to keep going, begging for me to stop. Fear kept the adrenaline going, but as the numbness started being replaced with pain, giving up just seemed like the right decision. At some point, I don't remember when, my run slowed to a jog and then to a walk. My sweaty hands ran along the wall, trying to keep my balance. The teal scrubs I wore clung to my body, threatening to suffocate me. My legs trembled as the last of the adrenaline wore off and they just gave out. I hit the ground hard, the joints in my knees popping as I landed.

"Keep running, you haven't finished." Voices. It's those damn Lab Coats. They had me running through this damn maze all day . . . at least I think. I can't tell anymore. After a while, everything just blurs together and day and night just seem to fade into one never-ending fog. Today, they had me running through this maze over and over. Each time I finished, they'd change it and I'd have to run it all over again. They said that they wanted to see how quickly my newly enhanced brain can adapt to new environments. As the hours ticked by, my energy was slipping away and at some point, they strapped a small device on my ankle that shocked me every time I tried to stop to take a breather. Shockingly enough, they didn't light me up like a Christmas tree this time. Instead, about three Lab Coats walked in, two of them were holding clip boards while the third held a tray full of - - oh yes! Cups of deliciously refreshing water. Attempting to stand up and bolt for the water, I slipped and fell forward. I couldn't feel my legs.

"She's done. She won't be able to walk if we continue to push her this way," said on to the other.

"It's important that we push her to the very limits!" Exclaimed the second.

"Her limits surpass the other experiments. Her test results improve with each passing day. She has far passed our level of expectation. Is that not enough for you?" argued the first. He then turned to the one with the tray and pointed in my direction. Without a word, the third person walked over and knelt before me, handing me a cup full of ice cold water. Without the least bit of hesitation, I grabbed it with a trembling hand and chugged that thing like no freakin' tomorrow. Done with one, I reached for a second, then a third and a fourth. Thirst, not fully quenched, but enough to hold me, I sat back and leaned against the wall.

It was always the same with these guys. One would argue, saying that I need to push myself further while the other fought for my well-being. I think it's 'cause they don't want their irreplaceable experiment to 'expire' as they say. I usually just sit back and watch them exchange banter while I wait for them to signal the Erasers to take me back to my cell.

A sudden sound that was someone clapping filled the large room. "It's important that you attempt to push yourself to the point of breaking down." That familiar raspy voice never failed to send chills down my spine. A large door opened, a bright light spilled into the room as a figure walked in. Dr. Richard Sinclair. Over the time I've been here, roughly eight or nine months (who knows) I came up with a witty nickname for him. 'Ol Mustachio.

He walked over with that grin that could make a baby cry. He hardly paid any attention to the three Lab Coats as he walked passed them. He knelt down before me and grabbed me by my long hair, making me face him.

"I'd be very disappointed if you failed us . . . me, my little protege," he smiled. "Would you kindly escort my little dove back to her room?" he ordered to two bulky figures standing not to far away . . . Erasers. Oh lovely, just lovely. Instead of saying anything in response, they growled and grabbed me by the arms and dragged me to my cell.

In the time I've been here, these 'scientists' explained what exactly they did to me. They wanted to combine human and animal DNA to make a whole new species . . . the perfect species. I'm an Avian-Hybrid. Through hellish procedures and excruciating testing, I went from being 100% human, to 97%. The other 3%? Well, that's where I stopped understanding the Lab Coats. They started spouting some nonsense about bird DNA, attributes, chemicals, drugs and anything and everything you could think of when it comes to illegal experimentation. Why tell us all this? Well, I guess they don't really think us knowing would do anything. Or maybe they just want us to know that they basically own us now.

I felt myself tuning in and out as the Erasers dragged me back to my cell. Oddly enough, I should be used to this kind of treatment now, but no.

"Welcome back, little dove," taunted the Eraser on my right as he slammed open one of the doors that lead to my cage. I looked up and saw five pairs of eyes stare back at me. The Erasers dragged me in and threw me in my cage then turned and left the room, chuckling as they did.

"So, how'd it go?" Specter asked as he leaned against the bars of the cage.

"Oh, just lovely. We had a lovely tea party with mini sandwiches and cake. Then we discussed global warming and the inevitable downfall of the economy," I replied sarcastically.

"You ok? You look horrible," asked Hail. Specter and I met him shortly after our real tests started. His hair was short and layered, each layer a different shade of blue. His eyes were the color of ice and his skin was as white as snow. His wings were a light blue that faded to white at the tips. Hail was just as tall as Specter, maybe an inch taller and had the sweetest personality. He was polite and worried for us whenever we were taken for a test.

"It's nothing to worry yourself over. I'm ok; I just need a little rest," I sighed as I leaned up against the cold metal bars, trying to get comfortable. My legs still felt numb and from what I could tell, were going to hurt like hell later. Suddenly I felt a small hand on mine. I looked over and saw Chai smiling at me, her eyes asking an unheard question. Our cages weren't that far apart so it was easy to reach in from another.

Chai was brought here soon after Hail with her twin brother. They were about seven years old, but she looked much younger than that considering her short stature. Her brother was a foot taller than her which made him look older. The Lab Coats said that it was a type of 'side-effect' from the experimenting. Small and frail, her hair is long, just past her waist and a light brown while her eyes are a shade lighter that. For some reason, reminded us all of tea. The first thing that came to mind was Chai Tea, or Chai for short and it stuck. Her wings are small and a dark brown that faded to a lighter color at the tips. Her twin, Patch, has bright red hair that was shorter than Specter's and Hail's. His was spiky and reminded me of a newborn chick's ruffled feathers. His eyes are the same color as Chai. His wings are also a bright red with light brown tips. The tragedy with these two, they had no memory of their lives before this hell. They don't remember their home, friends, or family. We're not really sure where they came from nor did we bring it up to them. We didn't want to upset them any further.

"I'm fine sweetie, don't worry," I smiled in return. One of the procedures the Lab Coats preformed on Chai involved her vocal chords and there was a mishap. Since then, she hasn't been able to talk. Instead, should she try, any sound she makes is released as a high pitch wail. Again, the Lab Coats have no explanation for it, just that it's the main reason they didn't 'retire' her. Chai, although young, hardly cries or anything just to avoid hurting our ears. It happened once . . . it wasn't fun. After a while, we all got used to her silence and managed to figure out what she thinks half the time. The other half, Patch basically translates. He has this weird ability to feel and hear the emotions and thoughts of another person. Another special ability we kept hidden from the Lab Coats.

"'Thank goodness,' she says," stated Patch. He was the complete opposite of his sister. He was a little spit-fire. Always full of energy and had that tough guy act that all boys his age had. Patch always has a hard time when it comes to the tests and the Lab Coats. Whenever they bring him back, he looks tired and beat up, but always manages to put a smile on his face. It breaks my heart each time.

"Cinder, did you notice anything?" asked Solstice. The last of our little group was Solstice. She was brought here after the twins and she was the hardest one to talk to. Although she was in the same room as us, she ignored us and kept to herself. It was actually Hail that got her to open up and trust us. Slowly, but surely, she came to trust us. Sure, she's really sarcastic and dark, but is sweet . . . kinda. She has her moments. She has dirty blonde hair that reached just passed her shoulders. Her wings were similar, but were more a gold color that faded to an ashy shade. Her eyes made her stand out more than anything. They practically glowed in the dark like that of a cat. The Lab Coats experimented on her eyes, trying to enhance her vision. With everything done to us, our Raptor vision helped us see clearly in the dark and the tiniest thing from a far distance, but Solstice's eyes were enhanced further passed that. Soon after, they removed the bandages from her eyes only to discover a horrible outcome from the procedure. She can't see when there is light. Her eyes were so sensitive that any light would cause her pain. Even if we had a lamp in here and set it to be as dim as possible, she'd still feel discomfort. With that in mind, she always had her eyes closed whenever the Lab Coats walked in and turned on the lights.

"Not much, but I think I've got a basic route mapped out in my head. All we really need is a distraction," I smile over at her and she returns it.

"So, what now?" asks Hail. I switch my gaze over to him and shrugged my shoulders.

"We wait. Soon, I'll get you guys out of this hell. No way am I planning to spend the rest of my days in this place and I don't plan to let you all go through anymore pain," I responded. With that said, I leaned against the cold bars of the cage, waiting for sleep to take over.

_**~Later that Night~**_

I woke up a while later and found the others sound asleep. I tried to sit up, but a sharp pain suddenly shot up from my legs and I hissed in pain. Using my arms, I pushed myself up to lean against the cell. I sighed as I leaned back, wishing sleep would come back but I was wide awake now.

When I first came to this place, I feared I'd be alone and then I met Specter. In the time we've spent together, trying to survive in this place, we grew closer and now, I'm not really sure what I'd do should I suddenly find myself alone again. The days just became easier for us to deal with as the others joined us and we knew that they felt the same. In a way, we were like a family. We never knew each others' real names. We just never saw the point. When they became more trusting of Specter and me, we told them our names and they laughed.

_"That's a weird name," _Hail had chuckled. Solstice added with, _"Fitting name for freaks. Might as well give us one."_

So I did. Giving them names gave them a laugh . . . and hope. Eventually, it stuck.

"Can't sleep?" asked Specter. His voice startled me. I looked over at him and saw him wide awake. Being careful with my bruised legs, I scooted over to the other side of my cage, closer to him so we wouldn't wake the others with our talking.

"No, I'm just thinking," I said.

"About?"

"What it's like to be outside again," I sighed and closed my eyes, trying to picture the clear blue sky, the clouds, the fresh air. I looked over at Specter and noticed he reached into my cage and placed his hand over mine.

"When I first met you, I thought you were annoying," he said. "You still are, but I trust you and - -" his voice cut off suddenly when I felt his arm tense up and his hand tightened around mine.

"What do you hear?" I asked. Specter's hearing was always more sharper than the rest of ours.

"A couple of Lab Coats talking about you and the trials from today. They - -" he stopped talking again as his eyes narrowed. I could see the worry on his face and I started feeling the fear creep up on me.

"Specter?"

"They want to . . ." he trailed off. He looked me in the eye then and I could already figure out what he was about to say. "They want to perform a procedure . . . on you."

I felt goosebumps form on my arms as the fear settled in. I turned over my hand and held his in return and I could only think of one thing to say.

"Well, looks like we're going to put our plan into action a lot sooner than we thought." Specter looked up and smiled, but only partially. He always worried, even though sometimes he hardly showed it.

"Promise me you won't do anything reckless," he sighed as he leaned back against the bars, still holding my hand.

"Now, now, you know me better than that. Of course I will," I chuckled.

"Not funny, Cinder." Sure he says that, but I saw a faint smile creep onto his face. I looked down at our hands, the warmth of his gave me strength and comfort. I was worried, but not for myself. I worried for him, for them. I was willing to put myself in harms way just so they could get away. Whatever I could do to keep them safe, I would do without a second thought.

Soon, sleep took over . . . but I was soon given a rude awakening. The bright ceiling lights flashed on and in came the Lab Coats, two Erasers trailing behind. All of us were wide awake now. I glanced over at Solstice when I heard her whimper in pain. Her eyes were shut tightly as she tried hiding behind one of her wings. I looked over at the others and noticed their discomfort. Chai curled up as far back in her cage as possible. Patch tried to calm her down from his own cage, but was still wary of the Lab Coats. I switched over to Hail and saw him sitting cross-legged in his cage, eyes narrowed. The expression on his face was calm, but there was something about it . . . something off.

I looked over to Specter and noticed him let go of my hand. The Erasers approached my cage then stepped aside, revealing the person who was walking up behind them. Dr. Sinclair.

"Good day, my little dove. Sorry to disturb your slumber," he smiled. I glared at him, trying to hold back my fear. In that moment, I lightly tapped the floor of my cage with my right thumb. This was a signal to everyone. A signal that was subtle and that only they could hear.

The signal? It was time to put our plan into action.

**Crimzon: This . . . was a pain.**

**Cinder: You say that about a lot of chapters you write.**

**Crimzon: Yes, but this was kind of boring.**

**Cinder: . . . REVIEW GUYS!**

**Crimzon: Why are you ignoring me?!**

**Cinder: . . . -walks away-**

**Crimzon: Hey! . . . ugh, PLEASE REVIEW!**


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